It is generally known in the art of dispensers for cylindrical articles that the storage capacity of the device is increased by utilizing a serpentine storage and dispensing track without having to increase the outer configuration of the article storage area. As shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,498,497 and 3,613,945 (which are incorporated herein by reference), serpentine tracks have a sinusoidal shape from top to bottom which causes the cylindrical articles to roll down via gravity from the upper end thereof to a discharge opening at the lower end thereof. Delivery of these cylindrical articles from the discharge opening is controlled by a discharge control device disposed at the discharge opening.
In a serpentine track dispensing mechanism of the above type, the width of each serpentine pathway can be slightly changed to adapt to articles of various diameters. Likewise, a mechanism for adjusting the horizontal length of the track, i.e. the depth of the pathway, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,590 and is herein incorporated by reference. However, a variety of dimensional errors can occur with these mechanisms which allow the article to twist as it rolls and block the passage.